Leader's Digest #58 (December 2021) by Leadership Institute

LEADERS ISSUE 58

DECEMBER 2021

DIGEST

The Roots of

ALTRUISM

Photo by Evie S. on Unsplash

LEADERS

DIGEST

Publication Team Editor-in-Chief Ismail Said Editor Diana Marie Capel Graphic Designers Awang Ismail bin Awang Hambali Abdul Rani Haji Adenan

* Read our online version to access the hyperlinks to other reference articles made by the author.

Contents

ISSUE 58 I DECEMBER 2021

04 08

LEADERSHIP IN THE (IN/POST) COVID ERA

MINDFUL COMMUNICATION: EXPAND YOUR AWARENESS TO LEAD YOURSELF, OTHERS AND ORGANIZATIONS

A LOVE OF LEARNING IS THE KEY TO YOUR GROWTH

ACTIVITIES RECOMMENDED FOR CREATIVE-THINKING SKILLS

THE THREE CENTRAL PILLARS OF LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM THE FREIGHT INDUSTRY

GRATEFULNESS CAN BE A WINNING BUSINESS STRATEGY

BOOK SUMMARY: THE LAWS OF HUMAN NATURE

SOLOS, SILOS, OR INDIFFERENCE?

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CENTER for ASIA LEADERSHIP

Leader’s Digest is a monthly publication by the Leadership Institute of Sarawak Civil Service, dedicated to advancing civil service leadership and to inspire our Sarawak Civil Service (SCS) leaders with contemporary leadership principles. It features a range of content contributed by our strategic partners and panel of advisors from renowned global institutions as well as established corporations that we are affiliated with. Occasionally, we have guest contributions from our pool of subject matter experts as well as from our own employees. The views expressed in the articles published are not necessarily those of Leadership Institute of Sarawak Civil Service Sdn. Bhd. (292980-T). No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the publisher’s permission in writing.

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From the

Editorial Desk ICDS

In-COVID Development Strategy

When somebody talks about Post COVID Development Strategy (PCDS), it should imply that the pandemic is over, but this is not the case. The recent emergence of the omicron variant coupled with the global race for vaccines, “boosters” shots and related public health measures, make this very clear: The COVID rollercoaster ride has no end station in sight. The year is ending with a new realization compared to last year: COVID or no COVID, a sustainable human, social and work-process paradigm shift is a must, not simply a temporary adjustment. “New lifestyle, new workstyle; where are you?” Leadership is no longer based on the definition of all pre-COVID textbooks. Executive leadership programs must be completely revamped, and the core is about resilient motivation with an altruistic flavour. Altruism is about a selflessness: act for the benefit of others, without the egoistic ‘echo effect’ of needing something in return. Behaviourally this requires having very high self-esteem, self-value, and a strong, clear identity. Let’s look at some challenges. Our ‘new normal’ includes getting work done in teams via virtual facilitation tools to maintain social distancing guidelines. This forced, physical separation from people demands sensitive and sophisticated approaches to maintain some semblance of community and belonging while meetings KPIs. If everything is expected to be measured to give it that corporate value, how can altruism be included in leading others? By its very definition, as a selfless act, altruism is not to be rewarded, rather experienced as a lived value and it is “COVID-proof.” Furthermore, leading people through a screen creates such a surreal and limited experience as a person is only visible as a portrait (if they turn on the camera!), the rest of the body (language), non-existent. In a way, we could call it ‘postcard leadership’ – taking into account its’ limitations in space, time, opportunity and impact. Postcards often show the most visually exciting aspect of a place; they allow limited space for written messages; and if we consider that a person may receive several postcards from different people: which postcard will have the strongest emotional impact?

and ‘postcard’ leadership The selection will depend on the combined value of the elements: the visual difference (authenticity versus generic image), the power of the message (personalized and with depth versus a generic “wish you were here” statement), and the timeliness of arrival (ideally, prior to one’s return from their trip). In the pre-COVID era, leaders had the advantage of forced attention, participation, and often times general obedience from their “on-site” employees. Now, just the push of a computer key or mobile phone button, employees can allow, invite, retain or completely cutoff a leader, always with a valid excuse (“sorry, no signal”); they wield a command-and-control power over their leaders, which they didn’t have before. Being desensitized due to the lack of full-body, faceto-face engagement, can cause one to act out the ‘dictator effect’: removed from people’s physical presence we act harsher. Those chit-chats in the corridor or between work cubicles had a tremendous value towards a healthy work-environment and even as a prevention from burnout, a leader’s prerogative. Now, a leader needs to answer this question after every digital engagement with another person: “If I don’t initiate the next contact with this person, will I be contacted?” In other words: “Does this person need me – for what?”. Complicated? We have altruism on one corner and KPIs in another. Then we have a work-COVID chess game to be played simultaneously with a lifeworkstyle roulette. And on top of that we must remain competitive supported by operational excellence. Simple! Altruism leads to improved KPIs, while chess and roulette are opposites that shouldn’t be combined. One requires strategic skill, while the other is based on chance. In this manner, remaining competitive is to focus on what we know and can control, and to avoid ‘gambling’ in a decision-making and decision-acting process that jeopardizes operational excellence. In a nutshell, we must consider developing the sense of leadership through altruism in others, ensuring that they have the necessary skills and character traits to navigate our new normal and ICDS. We must also remember on this worthwhile leadership development journey, to celebrate the postcards we get, no matter what!

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Leadership in the (in/post) COVID Era BY PETER JAHNE

Crisis management and crisis leadership are two different roles, yet they share the same objective:

REINSTATING NORMALCY

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While crisis management is determined by measurable data, crisis leadership is about personalising the management dimension. Which candidate is best fit to lead or manage long-term crisis such as COVID, which has redirected, reshaped, reframed several personal and professional relationship layers of an employee? Should we focus on candidates based on their gender, age, behavioural strength, and stamina? Do we select candidates that lead through empowerment of others, or add a command-and-control dimension? Will there only be one department head, or several sharing the duties, roles, and responsibilities? Will the candidate selection be driven by the organisational objective, the team members’ criteria or now include the entire dimension of family and the micro-society of every to-be-managed/ lead person? COVID scientists know more and more about the health nightmare yet knowing more, performing better has yet to reach the next level: achievement. And once there are some achievements, maybe bringing one COVID strain to a complete halt (to have it under a full control), then we can move towards impact – that is when any COVID-related health issue is dealt with. It has been proven that the sudden spikes in contaminations are directly linked to the discipline of following anti-COVID safety measures. It is actually very simple: you get vaccinated, you wear a facemask, you keep social distance and you have fulfilled your individual obligation. In other words, you have managed the basics. Once you get others to learn how to manage this process, once you ‘police’ the people around you in ensuring that they also adhere to the basic requirements, then you are moving towards a leadership role. Said differently, managing yourself and those who already follow your management directives should be a clear achievement and therefore not an extraordinary feat. Managing people with whom you have no emotional connection, no connecting line in the organization chart is a different story. So before we define the profile of the potential effective and efficient leaders of the future, it is worth translating COVIDrelated behavioural conditions against the backdrop of operational continuity, goal achievement and the new paradigm shift of humanity. Here is a short self-assessment test:

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How would you decide on these situations? 1) Invest RM one million (non-refundable) for an event to be held in July 2022, knowing that this event in the past was worth RM fifty million? Or wait until the latest date for a confirmation on February 27, 2022, with a 35% loss of value? 2) To foster more leadership potential within your team, would you challenge them to ensure COVID safety discipline within the city, by patrolling the local wet markets and ‘policing’ the people there to follow safe-distancing public health protocols? And that their effectiveness in working in such unpredictable and conflicting situations will be part of their performance evaluation at work? 3) Would you share you managerial/leadership role with another person to cover the job’s responsibility of ensuring that the diversity of the people under such a designation is catered for? And let’s say a designation will be shared, how should this new co-leadership team be constructed to ensure inclusivity in terms of gender, age, cultural background, etc.? Both, diverse and seemingly homogeneous work environments require diverse leaders. Cross-sectionalism is important to recognize, as finding one leader who has all the diversity traits is impossible, especially when race, cultural and religious considerations remain at the forefront. When the leadership selection and development modus operandi remain the same as the one in pre-COVID times then the adaptation to the reality of a COVID-work and -life environment has not been brought into the equation and as such nothing can change. And proof of an in-COVID and preparation for post-COVID leadership is when within the organisational policy, then all SOPs in every department have adapted to the ‘new normal’. And this should go beyond the social distance and wear a facemask sticker. This should go beyond the installation of hand sanitizers and crowd management guidelines. Let’s change the rules to adapt to the situation. Is it just about the decision between and male or a female as the leader? Is it really about having to know your culture, your people, your society that makes leadership effective? Is it about academic knowledge with a bunch of degrees, certificates, diplomas and what not? Or could it be plain and simple about the emotional maturity to motivate, coach and counsel with a ‘dash’ of operational insight and strategic foresight? Or imagine, no more leaders! No more one-designation lighthouses! How would you deal with this scenario?

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A person/team is given a goal. Then, resources are discussed and decided upon by these people who have been hired because of their qualifications and experience for the job. They present and substantiate the rationale for their requirements, timeline, and deliverables. And then they are left to get it done. They are not being monitored, they are not interrupted, they are free to get it done their way, in their selected time. So, one team member works from another country, another from his vacation home by the beach, another while on a cross-continental tour with the family. Boleh atau tak boleh? (Is that ok or not, ok?). Kalau tak boleh!, kenapa? (If this cannot be accepted! Why? If working from home is acceptable, then working from what a person calls a homeenvironment should fall into that category, too. If it is about achievement, and if performance is left to the criteria of each individual, isn’t an organization getting what it needs? One can perform an entire week or month yet not have achieved anything! If we are to lead into the future, should our new ‘workstyle’ be within the lifestyle or vice versa?

The lifestyle is within the workstyle

The workstyle is within the lifestyle

A work environment that allows more freedoms and flexibility in the ‘how’ of reaching the organisation’s achievements, will boost employees’ loyal, dedicated, self-directed, positive outcomes. One may even be inclined to ‘break out’ and quit their job to feel free. Let’s not wait for somebody under our care to feel this urge to break free, rather let’s offer them the ‘be free’ dimension, too. As leaders, let’s shift to a more inclusive, flexible approach with our colleagues- allowing them to work and achieve company goals, their way! PETER JAHNE Peter Jahne’s workstyle is defined by his lifestyle: Fluent in Malay, Spanish, English, German and the conga drums. A Malaysian/USA private pilot’s license holder – in 2022: EU flight accreditation. Consciously adapts his intensive, 2-year mindset realignment training of military snipers for rapid-deployment assignments into his target-specific, efficient, and impactful corporate leadership development programs; focus: humans and operational excellence. Enabling influencers towards non-linear, highly profitable business opportunities. Psycho-emotional strategist for unconventional solutions and discoveries. Ocean wave chaser, durian pathologist, mad scientist in the kitchen.

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Photo by Lesly Juarez on Unsplash

Mindful Communication: Expand Your Awareness to Lead Yourself, Others and Organizations BY LAURA THOMPSON, LEADERSHIP COACH TO CEOS, CO-FOUNDER, CAL COACHING COUNCIL AND CO-HEAD, COACHING TEAM LAURA THOMPSON TM

CENTER for ASIA LEADERSHIP

“Mindful communication” is a universal concept. It is for those who desire to communicate effectively, build better relationships, become culturally intelligent, uncover unconscious biases, develop compassion, and improve leadership skills along the way. Positive change comes from conscious awareness of yourself and others.

Being mindfully present while using effective listening and speaking skills with those around you creates a more harmonious world for all of us, both personally and professionally. As Thomas Friedman argues in his book The World is Flat—and as we have seen with particular vividness in the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020—the world is becoming increasingly unified through digital technology and artificial intelligence (AI). The paradigm of topdown management continues to weaken in the era of digitalism because innovative technologies are increasing the interconnectedness of global leadership. Tools like the internet of things (IoT) and social networks are sharing knowledge and resources to assist in resolving world-wide crises—including the Covid-19 pandemic, a cyclical global economic downturn, and natural disasters. Many leaders across public and private sectors are learning best practices from each other and forming partnerships to eradicate big problems with big solutions, with the intention of creating a better, fairer world in alignment with the United Nation’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

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Today, thanks to the fundamental shift in present-day work methods and spaces, as well as the inevitable distress resulting from recent crises, our equilibrium has been disrupted.

Many people in the workforce, both new entrants and more experienced players, are coping with increasing novelty, complexity, and change. Mindful communication and expanded awareness are needed now more than ever for leaders to collaborate effectively within organizations and across sectors and industries, whether in person or through virtual platforms. The methods I have created are based on years of primary research as a certified Executive Leadership Coach, Mentor, and Purpose-driven Strategic Advisor, as well as through collaborations with innovative thought leaders and distinguished universities worldwide. Once learned, the methods allow you to communicate more authentically, using trust to generate positive outcomes and win-win situations. Don’t all of us desire more meaningful, caring, and productive relationships, with our family and friends and with our colleagues, our clients, and the world at large? The answer, of course, is yes. LAURA THOMPSON https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurathompson888/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/center-for-asia-leadershipinitiatives/

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THE THREE CENTRAL PILLARS OF LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT BY BY NUPUR TODI (HARVARD ED.M.), LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT, CAL TEACHING FACULTY TM

CENTER for ASIA LEADERSHIP

When you do something long enough, you will eventually start seeing patterns in your work. In this article, I will share the story of my efforts as a leadership development consultant and learning-design expert, focusing on emerging patterns. I will emphasize in particular the best ways to re-envision the pillars of leadership development, with the aim of building up a competitive advantage for your business or team in the future.

Rethinking Leadership Development Strategy

Co-Designing Leadership Development Initiative

Re-Envisioning Learning Approaches

Figure 1: Three Critical Pillars of Leadership Development

Rethinking Leadership Development Strategy An underlying theme in my recent conversations with CEOs and CHROs of organizations such as the Microsoft, Société Générale and Mahindra, among other global players, is their urgent need to strengthen the leadership abilities of their workforce and create a robust leadership pipeline. This is one of their top three priorities, yet only 33 percent of HR professionals in ASEAN feel that their organizations have an effective leadership strategy.

A leadership development strategy, when effective, is “a well-crafted blueprint that ensures that companies have the right talent at the right cost and with the right capabilities to perform, for today and the future.” Companies with effective leadership development strategies report deeper leadership bench strength, stronger leaders at all levels, and higher business returns. Issue 58 I December 2021

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So, let us explore some key components in an effective leadership development strategy:

1) Context with Rigor Only 10 percent of CEOs strongly believe that leadership development initiatives have a clear business impact. In my view, this is the result of weak linkages between business goals and leadership development strategy. Along with being embedded in the business context, leadership development must employ an analytical approach to assessing risks and predicting gaps in leadership that may impede the execution of business goals. Every organization has its own unique context, and this variation will only get more dynamic as we head into the future.

3) Local and Global As Asia makes strides toward creating self-sufficient economies, it is becoming increasingly important to develop our own leaders for senior positions, rather than importing talent. Given the scale of our operations, the size of our market potential, our cultures, our complexity, and our diversity, we need leaders who can network locally and build deep roots in the region, in order for their organizations to stay competitive.

To achieve success, therefore, each company’s leadership development strategy must be different, and managers must break down their particular business goals with data-driven analysis.

To build sustainable leadership pipelines, multinational corporations should localize their leadership development strategies. Customizing your global leadership development strategy is like packing a suitcase for an international vacation: the tools leaders will need depends upon their destination. A good strategy must consider regional cultural nuances, motivation, the needs of the people involved, and the possible influence of global movements and disruptions.

2) Skill-Based Strategy

4) Scale with Technology

The Institute for the Future (IFTF) claims that “85 percent of the jobs that will exist in 2030 haven’t even been invented yet.” So how can we know what kind of education or work experience will be needed for these unknown jobs? This uncertainty poses an interesting and important problem as organizations prepare their workforces for the future.

Usually, leadership development efforts focus on a few individuals, and these individuals usually come from senior management or to employees labeled as “talent” based on their potential performance.

Companies like Microsoft and CISCO have thrown away their old, cumbersome competency frameworks, as they were not designed for agility and big data. These frameworks made sense in the 1990s, when people needed to be trained for long-term, unchanging jobs. They focused on building up individual knowledge, skills, and behaviors in the context of a particular role. But skills, the ability to do something well, are transferable which helps to succeed in today’s trend of changing jobs. Given the importance of the gig economy in the future, I believe that it’s important to build a skill-based strategy aligned with your company’s business goals.

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However, crises like the current pandemic have proven that not all people considered “talent” have emerged in shining armor to lead the way to a solution, and many people previously viewed as having little potential have revealed new and unexpected capabilities. Given these twin trends, organizations and managers will be wise to reconsider the definition “talent,” in order to democratize their leadership development efforts and ensure that all of their employees are operating at their full potential. NUPUR TODI https://www.linkedin.com/in/nupurtodi/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/center-for-asia-leadershipinitiatives/

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Image by Shannon Kringen on Flickr

Gratefulness Can Be A Winning Business Strategy BY ROSHAN THIRAN

THE GRATITUDE CHALLENGE

“

Most people return small favours, acknowledge medium ones and repay greater ones with ingratitude. – Benjamin Franklin

A study which began in 1986, of a group of nuns from the city of Mankato in the US, who have outlived many others, has astonished the world. The most surprising result of this ‘Nuns of Mankato Study’ by David Snowdon, is the discovery that the way we express ourselves in language, even at an early age, can foretell how long we’ll live and how vulnerable we’ll be to Alzheimer’s decades down the line. Snowdon found that the nuns who had expressed the most positive and gratitude-based emotions in their writing as girls ended up living longest, and that those on the road to Alzheimer’s expressed less gratitude and fewer positive emotions. His conclusion: If you want to live longer, be positive and show gratitude. Throughout history, gratitude has always been high on the list of virtues. Cicero, the Roman philosopher ranked gratitude as the chief of all virtues, parent to all others. I concur with Cicero and apparently science does so too. Research by Jeffrey Froh, shows that habitually grateful people have more energy, optimism, social connections and happiness. They’re less likely to be depressed, envious, greedy or become alcoholics. They earn more money, sleep more soundly, exercise more regularly and have stronger immune systems.

Science can now prove that gratitude improves psychological, emotional and physical well-being. “A lot of these findings are things we learned in kindergarten or our grandmothers told us, but we now have scientific evidence to prove them,” Froh adds. If gratitude does all that, why is there absolutely no focus on it in business or in our lives? A few weeks ago, we erected a ‘Gratitude Board’ in our office, and some began excitedly posting messages of gratitude to others. Others scoffed at the board, shaking their heads at why others were posting soft mumbo-jumbo messages. And again, I wondered, since gratitude is scientifically proven to make employees more productive, why do people scoff at its usefulness and its place in business?

WHAT IS GRATITUDE? Gratitude means counting your blessings, being thankful, and acknowledging everything that you receive. It is living your life as if everything were a miracle, being aware incessantly of how you have been blessed by others. Gratitude shifts your focus from what your life lacks to the richness that is already present. As simple as it sounds, gratitude is actually a multifaceted emotion that requires “self-reflection, the ability to admit that one is dependent upon the help of others, and the humility to realize one’s own limitations,” claims Emmons, another gratitude researcher. Gratitude is not for the “intellectually lethargic.” Emmons postulates that gratitude is discordant with feelings of victimhood or entitlement. “Far from being a warm, fuzzy sentiment, gratitude is morally and intellectually demanding. It requires contemplation, reflection and discipline. It can be hard and painful work.”

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Emmons, together with psychologists McCollough experiments confirms gratitude results in higher reported levels of alertness, enthusiasm, determination, optimism, creativity and energy. Additionally, grateful people are more likely to help others and faster progress toward achieving personal goals. The study revealed that practicing gratitude increases happiness levels by around 25%. If only we could improve happiness levels at workplace by 25%, we may be on to unleashing a high performing team capable of achieving great results. Aren’t these the type of people we need in our businesses?

GRATITUDE CURES MATERIALISM Froh’s research team found that the more grateful students had more friends and higher GPAs, while the more materialistic had lower grades, higher levels of envy and less satisfaction with life. “One of the best cures for materialism is to make somebody grateful for what they have,” adds Froh. Founder of Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffett, one of the richest men on earth, ascribes part of his success to his grateful nature. He has frequently expressed his gratitude for having been born at the right time and place and for the wealth that he has been able to create. Even though he is rich, he has not an ounce of materialism in him, and he shows his gratitude by giving back his accumulated wealth to society.

GRATITUDE BRINGS HAPPINESS A few years ago, as part of our Talent Acceleration programme, we took a group of Malakoff high-potential talent to visit the LaFarge factory and to meet their CEO, Biyong Chungunco. Biyong, is an incredible leader, who is well-loved by her employees. As she spoke to our team, she showed extreme humility and gratefulness in every aspect of her life, in spite of having so many obstacles thrown her way. Having lost her husband and having to face tremendous issues being a woman in a male dominated industry, her positivity drove her to succeed against the odds. Listening to her reinforced my belief that if we are to reach happiness (which is the goal for many people), gratitude needs to be a core virtue we practice. We tend to forget that happiness doesn’t come as a result of getting something we don’t have, but rather of recognising and appreciating what we do have. 12

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Being grateful also forces people to overcome what psychologists call the “negativity bias”—the predisposition to dwell on difficulties, frustrations and inequalities rather than positive blessings. One time, I interviewed Marshall Goldsmith, a top business coach for The Leaderonomics Show. Throughout the interview, Marshall kept repeating his gratefulness of how good things happened to him ‘by accident’. Being grateful keeps him positive and when you are in a positive frame, positive things tend to happen. The Law of Attraction states that if you are in a negative frame, you tend to attract negativity. So if you are in a traffic jam and you become negative, the traffic jam becomes worse. However, even if you are in a bad situation and you are positive, generally more optimistic things tend to ‘accidentally’ happen, as Marshall clarifies.

GRATITUDE AS A BUSINESS STRATEGY Business leaders may understand the importance of gratitude but how does being grateful add to their numbers. We have already seen how gratitude drives employee productivity , increases workplace happiness and energy-levels. And now we are finding that gratitude also helps expand ‘wallet-share’. Numerous businesses have actual grown by showing gratitude to their customers. Instead of going after new customers and increasing market-share, businesses that have gone back to old clients and thanked them, and develop deep relationships, saw huge increase in profitability by expanding their current client’s ‘walletshare’. Expanding your ‘wallet-share’ is getting your customers to buy more of your products and to buy other products that you offer which they may not be buying at this point in time. Gratitude does not mean sending your clients a letter with a sales hook like, “To thank you for being a special customer, we’re giving you 20% of all our XXXL orange shirts from now till we make our sales quota.” People see through those insincere gratitude letters. A business may show their appreciation by offering chocolates with the bill, or other simple thank you gestures but it needs to come across as genuine or its better not to show gratitude at all. People see through fake motivations. Gratitude is a precursor to trust and trust is a powerful driver for loyalty.

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“Gratitude motivates positive reciprocal behaviour,” says Professor Raggio. If a customer believes that a business has his best interests at heart, that customer is more inclined to develop a long-term relationship with the business. And don’t just show your gratitude once a year during festivals or at annual customer appreciation dinners. Instead, build it into your daily and weekly customer plans and policies. Customers are more likely to come back, give referrals, write positive reviews online, or perhaps be willing to pay more later on. Author John Kralik started writing appreciation notes to his staff and clients and quickly saw a link between his thank-you notes and his business thriving again. I personally write handwritten thank you notes and many have kept those notes for years, using them to gain inspiration. It’s when you feel terrible, that it is the best time to write 10 thank-you notes. When employees notice that you thank them for their efforts, they will naturally work even harder to please you in the future. Recognising the work of an employee improves their performance. And a sincere compliment will always improve your workplace connections and satisfaction. Dale Carnegie believed that the desire to be appreciated is ‘a gnawing and unfaltering human hunger.” Think about your many contributions to the people around you. Do you get thanked enough? Does the gratitudeto-criticism ratio you experience feel right to you? You can change the ratio by acknowledging those who help you daily, from the barista who made your coffee to your employee that got you the report on time.

BEING GRATEFUL Gratitude can change people’s lives but it takes mental toughness and discipline. Here is my top-10 gratitude checklist for you to become a more grateful person: 1. Set-up a Gratitude Board in your office and home and watch gratefulness flow in your office and home 2. Keep a Gratitude Journal. Count your daily blessings and jot down at least 3 good things that happened to you each day. You will be surprised how blessed you are even after a week 3. Mind Your Language. Don’t use negative words, even when talking to yourself.

4. Pause deliberately throughout the day. Stop what you are doing and look for things to be grateful for. You will start seeing blessings everywhere 5. Write a gratitude letters to people who have exerted positive influence in your life 6. Have a monthly ‘Gratitude Visit’ to someone you have been grateful for in the past and personally thank them 7. Make a vow to practice gratitude. Psychologists believes that “swearing a vow to perform a behaviour actually increases the likelihood that the action will be executed.” 8. Don’t Count Sheep but instead Count Your Blessings as you fall asleep – review events and people you are grateful for during the day as you fall asleep on your bed. 9. Write a note of gratitude to your customers. Don’t put anything else on the agenda other than expressing your thanks and appreciation. 10. Put gratitude on your calendar – schedule time to send thank you notes to clients, employees and to say thank you to your family and friends.

FINAL THOUGHTS In spite of knowing gratitude is good, everyone, from business leader to student, suffer from Gratitude Deficit Disorder. We all receive much more condemnation than gratitude. We are hungry for genuine appreciation. We want to know that we matter, that our efforts are making the world a better place. Mother Teresa once said that “there is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread.” She is right. And your customers, suppliers, employees, coworkers, friends and family need gratitude. There is a global hunger for gratitude. Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it. So, instead of being world-class complainers, why not challenge yourself to start off Monday by showing your gratitude to your employees, customers, friends and family. You may just end up living as long as those nuns of Mankato.

ROSHAN THIRAN Roshan is the Founder and CEO of the Leaderonomics Group. He believes that everyone can be a leader and “make a dent in the universe”, in their own special ways.

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Photo by Tembela Bohle from Pexels

Solos, Silos, or Indifference?

THE MIRACLE IN 2022 AND BEYOND The Champions League[1] semi-final, May 2019 - Anfield was hopeful, but it was a tall order, near impossible. Losing the first leg is one thing, trailing by a margin of 0-3 is another thing, trailing by 0-3 to Barcelona - that’s an entirely different story. To rub salt into the wound, Liverpool was without their top attackers (yes, plural - two of them were out of action). Liverpool needed a miracle. After 90 minutes of football, the miracle happened! Liverpool 4 Barcelona 0 (Liverpool won the tie 4-3 and went on to win the Champions League that year). When you think of a “miracle” comeback like this, you wonder how they do that. How does a team rebound (and win) under such circumstances - the insurmountable scoreline, against a world class opponent, and not having your top two attackers? Did they start the second leg thinking, “let’s give our best; don’t let them score more goals; aim for a draw; or at least keep the margin respectable”? What would you say to your players if you were their manager? You don’t want to give up. At the same time, you don’t want to give false hope. How do you (re)build a world class team and convince them to reach for that “miracle”?

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BY BERNARD LEE

Be it in corporate boardrooms or sporting stadiums, I believe world class teams must not have solos, silos and indifference. These destructive elements when combined become the lethal injection for teams. Instead, to build world class teams, we need to stay together, be in congruence, and remain committed. World class teams are likened to an orchestra - an assembly of talent, not individualistic performers (solos). Each member bringing their own strengths, and more importantly lending their strength to another. From the goalkeeper to the attacker, their identity is not in themselves, but the jersey they wear. From the CEO to the frontliner, teams are held together in a common bond through a compelling purpose, heartfelt values, and a galvanising vision. Best Buy’s turnaround can be characterised as one of the most stunning in the last decade. Hubert Joly stepped in as “CEO in Training” and went on to deliver a 263% increase in shareholder return under his watch, with doubled online sales and five consecutive years of sales growth. He says, “We achieved this turnaround by pursuing a noble purpose, and treating profit as an outcome, not a goal. This is what I believe is at the heart of business”.

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This (purpose, values and vision) became their identity and the reason to stay together. Clarity of purpose enables creativity of strategy. It enables teams to explore unconventional methods to produce desired results. Staying together matters to deliver the desired results. Staying together is good, but to deliver superior results, teams must be in congruence, not silos. Liverpool had eleven players on the pitch who were in agreement to produce the “miracle” they were after. The waiter must be in sync with the kitchen staff to create the unforgettable dining experience. Silos happen when housekeeping is not in congruence with the general manager; the defenders are not talking to the midfielders; the front-of-house is not in sync with the back-of-house - they are all disasters in waiting. To be in congruence means to be in agreement or harmony (Oxford dictionary). In an orchestra, the strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion sections play different parts to a single composition to produce beautiful music. Different roles when assembled together in congruence create synergy. Being in congruence matters to deliver superior results. Being in congruence is good, but to deliver the “miracle”, we need commitment. Being indifferent leads to a lackadaisical attitude that disintegrates teams. On the other hand, the commitment to be together, staying on course and being in congruence with the desired “miracle” can lead to greatness. Liverpool had all eleven outfield players committed to seeing the “miracle”. They believed and translated their beliefs into action and remained committed to the agreed game plan. Commitment can only be achieved when there is conviction - a firmly held belief or opinion. Cheering from the stands is easy. Being on the field demands commitment. It requires intentional engagement to draw people from the fringe into the inner circle. Imagine if the players were indifferent about winning or losing. Yet, we tolerate team members who are indifferent about doing good quality work (winning). Commitment matters to deliver the “miracle”.

The story of Barry-Wehmiller encapsulates the heart of building teams - it’s all about people. When leaders value people and add value to people, people will remain together, stay in agreement, and grow in their commitment. Its Chairman and CEO, Bob Chapman believes that leadership is about caring for the people we have the privilege of leading - giving them a grounded sense of hope for the future. Who would have imagined an obscure regional manufacturing company would be showing the world what’s possible at the intersection of great business strategy and profound care for people. Today, Chapman and his team are not just building machines. They are seeking to build a better world through leadership consulting and training - sharing lessons learned from inspirational leadership and building great culture. Regardless of how the year has been for you, the old (2021) has passed and the new (2022) has come (is coming). Here are three things you can do to prepare for what is ahead: 1. Be purposeful and intentional. Make time to reflect and journal, plan and prepare. Things don’t just happen. You have to make them happen. 2. Build people, not profits. Connect with people and draw them into the inner circle. Give them a reason/ cause to be together. 3. Start small, grow deep. (Re)Build your foundations strong and deep. Revisit the fundamentals of your purpose, values and vision. Keep the main thing, the main thing. In 2022, every organisation across the world is gearing up for a rebound with a strong desire to win. Whether it is on-site, off-site, or hybrid working arrangements, organisations must do without solos, silos and indifference. Instead, be purposeful and intentional in building teams who stay together, in congruence, and committed to deliver the “miracle” in 2022 and beyond.

BERNARD LEE Bernard is the Founder of Invigorate Consulting, a firm seeking to connect people and organisations to their purpose. He has over 20 years of management consulting and corporate experience with global organisations. He is also a seasoned facilitator. He enjoys travelling and is excited about the second half of life.

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A love of learning

is the key to your growth BY ROSHAN THIRAN

Over the course of his presidency, Abraham Lincoln the 16th President of the United States - fought more fronts to keep his young country together than any other president before him or since.

Lincoln was later hailed as a “liberator of the slaves, the saviour of the Union, and a martyr for the cause of freedom”, and is widely regarded as America’s greatestever president.

With the unfolding of the American Civil War, he had to navigate political and military implications of the conflict threatening to tear the United States apart. As a staunch abolitionist, Lincoln would also be instrumental in the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment, which made slavery unconstitutional.

Like many great historic figures, Lincoln didn’t see his greatness as a natural gift. Alongside the likes of da Vinci and Einstein, he acknowledged that any success he achieved came down to a tireless curiosity, an endless thirst for knowledge, and a compelling desire to understand the world in which he lived.

From within his famous “Team of Rivals” cabinet, Abraham Lincoln fought and strived to cement the future for his country as a bastion of liberty and freedom at a time when its future was as uncertain as during the years of the Revolutionary War.

Stories abound about Lincoln’s love for reading, how he would walk any distance to borrow a book. As a famous quote of his goes, “The things I want to know are in books; my best friend is the man who’ll get me a book I ain’t read.”

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Recently, an old colleague of mine was talking about the power of lifelong learning. He mentioned that, with so much information out there, it was difficult to know what, exactly, to focus on. To that end, Lincoln had an advantage over the rest of us: his love of learning was stoked by the fact it wasn’t so easy to get his hands on the kinds of learning materials he sought. When he managed to obtain a book, he devoured it with an intense curiosity and joy that allowed whatever he’d learned to stick in his mind. Research suggests that, the more choice we have, the harder it is for us to make a choice and stick with it. Whether we’re stuck in paralysis-by-analysis, or we’re a maximiser (and not a satisficer), just to think about what we should learn can be a headache. What’s most useful? What would I find enjoyable? Where can I find the time? What platform would give me the most flexibility? These questions (and more) gave rise to the learning platform NECOLE - a personalised learning experience that fits around your preferences and schedule, allowing you to learn what you like, whenever you like, and however you like. Imagine carrying around a Netflix-like learning platform. You get to browse different channels of learning, follow the ones you enjoy, and receive personalised daily learning from world-class trainers and experts. Just think how you would be in one month from now if you devoted one hour (4% of your day) to learning something that ignites your curiosity and love for learning. Think about what you would be like one year from now, how many new skills you’ll have learned, and how expansive your knowledge would be.

Often, the barrier to any kind of progress is making the decision to start something new. Whether it’s to get fitter, learn a new skill, or pick up a new language, I get asked all the time: “What’s the best way to start?” My response to the question is to commit to taking the first step, and to recognise the importance of making an investment in yourself. Learning something new can feel daunting, and with NECOLE, one of its many great features is that the learning can be done at your own pace, in your own time, and because there are no fixed learning schedules, you’ll always be motivated to learn whenever you’re ready. In his first political announcement in 1832, Abraham Lincoln said of education and learning, “I can only say that I view it as the most important subject which we as a people can be engaged in.” He also reminds us that learning from problem-solvers who have succeeded before us leads us to develop the kind of skills and critical thinking required to solve problems that are to still to come. One of the current users of NECOLE sent me a message after using it for some time to say, “Having my own learning library in my pocket engages me so much on a daily basis and it’s reminded me how much of a privilege and joy it is to learn.” I know that same feeling of privilege and joy, which is why I’m excited to welcome more people on board as they embark on their personal learning adventure. As Lincoln said, learning really is the most important thing. It empowers us to grow and cultivate the very purpose that gives our lives a deep sense of meaning.

ROSHAN THIRAN Roshan is the Founder and CEO of the Leaderonomics Group. He believes that everyone can be a leader and “make a dent in the universe”, in their own special ways.

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Activities Recommended for

Creative-Thinking Skills BY ADMIN

Photo by Green Chameleon on Unsplash

Great thoughts or ideas come from critical thinking! Great thoughts or ideas come from critical thinking. If you’re considering developing game-changing ideas, some activities, such as chess learn, do exercise, or meditation, can help. Here are nine tried-and-true ideas for boosting your creative thinking:

KEEP A DIARY If you’re looking for ways to generate concepts, blogging is a great place to start. It’s straightforward, beneficial, and personal. Start writing ‘morning pages’ or ‘afternoon articles,’ which are drop-in/drop-out, spontaneous study sessions for a specified period, or a particular page quantity about whatever comes up.

ENROL IN A COURSE

It’s a terrific technique to let go of the day’s pressures and tensions so you can be more receptive to new thoughts.

It was like offering your mind a vitamin boost when you learn new things.

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR JOURNEY TO WORK

You’ll be challenged, energized, and motivated, regardless of the subject. Look for evening classes at the local adult learning or night campus on a topic you’re interested in learning more about it.

For most people, commuting is a waste of time. It must be easy only to sit quietly & zone out if you’re facing an early jump or fatigued after just a long day’s work.

Evening, weekends, or one workshop in areas related to sculpting to philosophy are available at locations like City Lit.

Listen to the radio or audiobooks to unwind while checking in.

Think about taking courses online if you didn’t make it to a real place or if you’re constantly on the go.

Documentary books will help you develop new skills or viewpoints, whereas fantasy can pique your interest and introduce new concepts.

Mastermind gives classes taught by some of the world’s most brilliant minds. You might feel motivated to start something new on your own if you are dipping in / out or complete a single class.

It is also a superb method to handle the masterpieces if your eyes are fatigued from staring at a computer monitor all day.

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There is a vlog on every potential niche and interest, so take ten minutes tonight to look for something else to listen to first thing in the morning.

PUT YOUR BODY TO THE TEST Thinking outside the box was not the only way to be creative; use the mind-body link and toss out the whole package! A challenge is an excellent method to unwind and disengage from a hectic mind. Try joining up for something enjoyable yet challenging, such as a Mud Run race, if you need an achievable objective from outside work. Suppose you’re looking for something more consistent. In that case, Standard benchmark is a fun and versatile way of trying new workout programs that are amazing in your region, and the process of selecting them can be creative in itself.

MEDITATE Meditation is not difficult or dull, and the advantages are enormous. You may concentrate on freeing your head on a specific topic, like how to generate ideas! Whether you’re fresh with yoga and need to get started, Headspace is an excellent place to start. You can also use candles & stare at the fire for a few seconds or listen to orchestral music and allow your minds to flow if you want to start something different or relax.

GO OFF TO SLEEP How many of you have worked to find a solution only to fall asleep and wake up with a fresh point of view? Because our brains analyse ideas when we sleep, one of the most acceptable strategies to increase idea development is to calm and go off to sleep! Enhanced power levels, better thinking, and motivation are all natural and substantial advantages of sleeping, leading to higher creativity in the big scheme of things.

CONTROL YOUR EMOTION Human bodies go into a variety of annual and seasonal cycle alterations. It’s critical to pay attention to it and deal with all these alterations if you need to become more innovative. If you’re a female, you might discover that you find it hard to think creatively in the days before your menstruation, but that you do have incredible insight on how to come up with fantastic ideas the week or so following. Generally, you may find it much more challenging to be creative throughout the winter season and simpler once the light starts to shine again in the springtime.

GET TO KNOW NEW PEOPLE If you’re one of the individuals, you probably spend a lot of time with the same group of individuals: relatives, co-workers, or friends. Extend your social network, even if it’s only momentarily, to stimulate your imagination.

ORGANISE YOUR AREA We’ve all heard the cleaning expert say that a clean home equals a clean mind and that it’s true! Cleaning and arranging your home can be a creative act as well. It may appear to be additional administration or a diversion tactic. Set aside time on a routine basis to rearrange and realign your area for a unique outlook. Those activities are super brain-stimulating. Do you ever find yourself desiring to accelerate your growth by enhancing your prowess? Well, look no further. Necole is a state of the art learning platform that curates personalised learning just for you.

ADMIN LEADERONOMICS This article is published by the editors of Leaderonomics.com

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Source: Photo by Frank McKenna

LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM THE FREIGHT INDUSTRY BY ADMIN

Strong leadership is crucial for any business! With an annual revenue in the hundreds of billions, the freight industry is undoubtedly one of the world’s largest and most profitable industries. It has gone through significant evolution over the years as transport systems continue to change and develop. Many freight companies have faltered and disappeared as a result of these changes. The companies that have stood the test of time are often those that are helm by capable, resilient, and innovative leaders. Strong leadership is crucial for any type of business and industry, but freight management, in particular, requires laser-focused leaders with unique skills and capabilities. In this article, you’ll learn about the top leadership.

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1. Quality Vs. Quantity Freight brokers move things from point A to point B. But it’s not just about movement. How and when this movement happens is essential as well. The customer won’t just be concerned with if their parcel arrived at its intended destination, but also if it got there in time. Most freight companies will provide a guarantee to their clients that certain types of goods will arrive at the recipient’s doorstep within a specific period of time. However, a tremendous amount of work has to go on behind the curtains to deliver that promise. If any part of this well-oiled machine goes wrong, then chances are everything else will fall into pieces. And not too many things can hurt a business more than under-delivering on a promise. Managers in the freight business often have to make crucial decisions to keep their word. Sometimes it might be better for them to take relatively fewer orders then deliver them at record speeds than for the company to spread itself too thin trying—and eventually failing—to ensure the quality of service across the board. Good leaders will always have contingency plans to ensure that their decisions won’t tarnish the brand’s image and can benefit the business in the long run. If your clients and customers trust you to deliver high-quality services consistently, then you’re all set for longevity in the industry.

2. Technology Empowers Leaders Today, the freight industry uses a range of tools and technology to streamline its operations. For instance, some applications make managing capacity, rates, and loads significantly easier. Here are some other examples of technology that freight businesses use: •

• •

There are also low-cost communication tools that allow teams to collaborate and work together more efficiently. These tools also make it easier to share documents with clients, which helps reduce errors and save both parties’ time. There are apps designed to streamline the quoting process so freight businesses can cut down on the time they spend on quote preparation. There are also plenty of software solutions available for brokers who outsource their freight forwarding needs or work with multiple carriers.

Technology makes it easier for leaders to spend more time on the business instead of in it. In fact, People Magazine refers to technology as the driving force behind the modern leadership style. Technology doesn’t just allow leaders to automate some of their tasks, it can also help them influence and motivate employees, build customer loyalty, and focus on the strategic development of their organisation.

3. It’s All About The Customer Once a freight company gives a customer an estimated time of arrival (ETA) to deliver goods, they have to follow through. It means that, to begin with, the estimate has to be well-calculated! If the company can’t stick with the ETA, it’ll affect their relationship with their customer. This is also why some companies use GPS-based programs to improve their service. In the same vein, maintaining a successful business isn’t just about getting things done; it’s also about how you get them done. Customer-focused leadership is the goal of most businesses, but it remains a theory rather than practice for many of them. To make customer-focused leadership a reality, change has to come from the top. Leaders should demonstrate their genuine commitment by establishing systems that put customer needs at the forefront.

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4. Constantly Track Performance Part of good leadership style in the freight industry involves constantly re-evaluating strategy and performance. For this reason, it’s always a good idea to ask yourself: ‘what’s the opportunity cost?’ It means you should be thinking about and writing down (in detail)—what would happen if you did nothing different. You can even go as far as creating a spreadsheet with projected numbers based on two versions of continued business: one where you make no changes and one where you implement some changes or new strategies. Think deeply about each idea that comes to mind—then select one or more that’ll have the most significant impact on your company and leave everything else out. Track these new strategies over time while continuing to do what worked in the past. If you want a chance to build a highly profitable company - you need to take advantage of every opportunity available to improve your organisation.

5. Balance Conflicting Priorities Company leadership in the freight industry must be able to juggle a lot of different tasks at once. It’s not just about getting shipments done, it’s also about keeping stakeholders informed while still keeping the customer happy. This is where strong people skills come into play. Dealing with multiple priorities requires good listening and communication skills, being prepared to give and receive feedback, and providing ample support for team members. A successful leader can do all this while still leading by example and showing appreciation for everyone who helps them get the job done.

6. Adapt As Your Industry Changes Just like companies need up-to-date technology, leaders need to be aware of how the industry is changing. The freight industry has seen substantial change in the past decade, led by consolidation among carriers and within subsets of shippers. Technology innovations have also spurred change in the market, leading to dramatic changes in how logistics services are procured. A successful leader knows when to adapt, which means that they are always ready for whatever comes next. Adapting can lead to success when times are tough or even just different.

7. Data Is Power Within a freight company, it can be hard to know who’s doing well in the group without record-keeping, especially when personnel come and go or priorities change. This is where data tracking programs come in handy. Most freight companies use software or app-based solutions for tracking shipments so that everyone can see what they need to do, when they need to do it, and which tasks are waiting on them. A data-driven culture is just as important for other industries and businesses. In companies with a strong datadriven culture, decisions are informed by data analytics rather than experience or intuition. This is something top-level leaders need to strive for, as data-driven decisions allow them to quickly respond to shifting customer preferences and market trends.

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8. You Have To Put In The Work It can feel like leadership roles are filled by people who are naturally skilled at multitasking without making mistakes, but this simply isn’t true, even in the fast-paced freight industry. Even though it may seem like some staff members have been given a high-level position without putting in the work, the truth is that anyone who’s made it this far has done so because they’re constantly striving to better themselves. Great leaders can teach themselves new skills and constantly learn from their mistakes. They know what they don’t know and work hard to fill those knowledge gaps.

9. Employees Are Your Greatest Asset A freight company—and virtually any other company—has to get this relationship right. A lot of a business’s success depends on its employees. However, although companies may want to keep their employees happy, this isn’t always possible. For instance, if your company is losing money or needs someone to take on more responsibilities, you may have to ask employees for more help before giving them extra compensation packages. A successful leader knows when to cut their costs, even if that means working longer hours or implementing a pay cut. When a business improves, your employees will be happy to focus on growing their skills, taking on new projects, and learning from the best.

10. Reputation Matters This item kind of sips into almost every other point listed above. In the freight industry, word of mouth is more valuable than ever. When a freight company is reputable and trusted by their customers and the public, they’re more likely to thrive. On the other hand, if the company is known for substandard services or constant delays, customers are going to stay away from them. The company’s reputation matters—a lot! This mantra is also true for leaders. If you’re known as someone who doesn’t deliver on promises or isn’t easy to work with, it’ll be harder for you to get new clients and grow your business.

Conclusion These lessons can help you run a more efficient and more productive business. If you focus on the information above and use it to better yourself as well as your employees, then you’ll be able to take your company to new heights!

ADMIN LEADERONOMICS This article is published by the editors of Leaderonomics.com

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Book Summary: The Laws of Human Nature BY DIANA MARIE

Robert Greene lays out 18 laws of Human Nature that can help us understand and predict the behaviour of ourselves and others. Typically, we have no idea why anyone does anything because feelings and thoughts are controlled by different parts of the brain. In deliberation of the theme Altruism, shared here for reflection is the summary of the book content by Lucio Buffalmano (2018).

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Law #1: Master Your Emotional Self: The Law of Irrationality To achieve our potential, we need to learn how we are irrational and reactive to the world. Ask yourself where do your irrational drives come from. We can be rational and increase our chances of success by becoming more rational. The longer you can resist reacting, the more mental space for actual reflection.

Law #2: Transform Self-Love into Empathy: The Law of Narcissism According to Greene, we are all a bit narcissistic. But the goal is to move to a healthy narcissism by being honest with your self-absorption. Healthy narcissists are driven and focus their drive outward, they incorporate feedback and recover quickly from failures and setbacks.

Law #3: See Through People’s Mask: The Law of Role-playing Humans are consummate actors; we all wear a mask and we all learn how to lie. However, it’s not always easy to hide our true natures. We hide our negative feelings—such as superiority or insecurity. Acting completely honest would result in social ruin—we would offend people and open ourselves up to so much judgment and insecurity it would affect our mental health.

Law #4: Determine the Strength of People’s Character: The Law of Compulsive Behaviour Character is a primary value when evaluating people to work for or partnering with. Their characters matter more than their charm, intelligence, or charisma. Strong characters stem from a feeling of personal security and self-worth. Try to test people’s character by making a joke, criticizing them or giving them a challenging task and associate only with strong characters. Robert Greene says that we all have a rather strong and set character by our genes and childhood. We need to learn how we are wired and then we will have a certain control to smooth our edges.

Law #5: Become an Elusive Object of Desire: The Law of Covetousness Instead of focusing on what you want, focus on what others want, on their repressed desires and fantasies. What you offer should be new, unfamiliar and exotic.

Law #6: Elevate Your Perspective: The Law of Short-sightedness Keep a long irrespective, avoid being pulled by new trends and new shining objects. Stick with what you start and prioritize based on your long-term goals.

Law #7: Soften People’s Resistance by Confirming Their Self-Opinion: The Law of Defensiveness To influence people Robert Greene recommends you stop trying to push them. Instead, take a step back and assume an inferiority position. Ask them for advice, make them feel good. Don’t remind them of the favours you have done for them in the past. It doesn’t make them feel grateful, it reminds them of their dependence on others and we want to feel independent. Instead, remind them of what they’ve done for you in the past. Confirm their self-opinion as good people. Make others the focus of attention.

Law #8: Change Your Circumstance by Changing Your Attitude: The Law of Selfsabotage You are not a pawn; you are an active player. Mind and body are one, and one influence the other. Don’t see yourself as limited by birth: think that you can grow and improve.

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Law #9: Confront Your Dark Side: The Law of Repression We all have a masked dark side, but denying and hiding it causes a whole host of problems. Depression and anxiety come from not being our true selves. We internalize all the ideals of our culture such as “being nice” and having pro-social values, which are often necessary for the smooth functioning of our society. You often recognize people with a repressed dark side by their exaggeration. Greene instead welcomes the reader to include our dark side in who we are, to accept it and to use it for good and to fuel us towards our goals.

Law #10: Beware the Fragile Ego: The Law of Envy We always compare with one another, and it rarely lead to good results for us. Learn to develop your self-confidence from internal sources instead of comparisons. No one wants to consciously acknowledge envy because it would necessitate feelings of inferiority—to want something someone else has, we have to admit that the other person has it, which makes them superior. As a result, envy is rarely expressed as envy. If you’re envious of someone, on the other hand, you’ll transform this feeling into something else. Often, you’ll decide that the person doesn’t actually deserve it. Then, you can feel anger or resentment at the unfairness. Because your envy is buried under layers of other emotions, other people can’t usually tell that what you’re actually feeling is envy, and they see only anger or resentment.

Law #11: Know Your Limits: Law of Grandiosity We all have a need to feel superior to others. But the more successful we get, the more superior we feel, and that creates a disconnect with reality that can easily become our downfall. Grandiosity is our natural tendency to inflate our self-image and assume that we’re significantly more skilled than we actually are. We do this by, among other things, assuming that we single-handedly achieved success and that our skills are transferable. Grandiosity is our natural tendency to inflate our self-image and assume that we’re more skilled than we actually are. It increases as we age—the more we experience successes, the more people confirm our grandiose self-opinion.

Law #12: Reconnect to the Masculine/Feminine Within You: Law of Gender Rigidity Greene says that we all tend towards the feminine or masculine, but we have both. When people go too far in repressing their opposite gender within them, they will leak out in a caricature form. And it’s often the people with internal conflicts who lean too strongly towards one gender while trying to suppress the other. Greene says that the hostility towards the opposite gender is stronger in men. Everyone has both masculine and feminine traits, that come from two sources: genetics, and the influence of our parents. Gender roles create psychological distance between the sexes, and sometimes this difference is so vast it makes people of different genders seem incomprehensible.

Law #13: Advance with a Sense of Purpose: The Law of Aimlessness Greene invites the younger readers to explore and try different things to find their passion and purpose. The biggest obstacle you will face in pursuing your purpose is those drudging moments of difficulties, pain and boredom. Greene says you should learn to get into flow, and once you experience it, you will become addicted and always want to come back to it.

Law #14: Resist the Downward Pull of the Group: The Law of Conformity We are attracted to groups and we also have an urgent need to fit in. We like to tell ourselves we are independent, but we are not: the people around exert pressure on us, and instead of denying it we should leverage it. Differences among groups are often exaggerated to create stronger feelings “outgroup/ingroup” and of similarity among the members. Don’t fall for the tendency of denigrating your enemy: see him for who he is, and learn from what he does better. No matter how highly we think of our individuality, social force and group dynamics affect us all.

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Law #15: Make Them Want to Follow You: The Law of Fickleness Leadership is always built on a dichotomy, Greene says. On one side, people want to be lead and they look up to a great and strong leader but, at the same time, they resent him. They resent his position, the power he has, and the power he has over them. People in power see only the smiles, and they mistake it for unending approval. When they make a mistake and people will be clamoring for their head, they are taken by surprise. They shouldn’t, it’s just the normal release of aggression and pentup resentment that is channelled against the leader. We all need our self-image confirmed because we know it’s not always objectively accurate. We tend to like and listen to the people who validate us. People are more likely to listen to and associate with people and groups that appear to validate their self-image, agree with their values, or share the same qualities. In contrast, people get defensive when their self-images are challenged.

Law #16: See the Hostility Behind the Friendly Façade: The Law of Aggression Our culture, civilization, and society tend to repress our most aggressive instincts. But we all have it. Aggressive people tend to obsess over the objects of people, which is a sign they want to swallow them whole. Take stock of physical obsessions, like anger in being overtaken or always wanting to be front and centre. Fight the aggressive types indirectly, avoid making them feel not in control, which is their greatest fear. Like envy, aggression is an emotion no one wants to admit to having. We prefer to sketch peacefulness and cooperation into our self-images. In reality, aggression is a natural part of human nature and everyone has it. In fact, aggression stems from a desire for control, which is driven by a fear of helplessness. Our helplessness comes from many sources: We need other people for validation and love but they’re unpredictable. We can see this latent aggression in our dealings with others— unconsciously, we compare our aggression levels to everyone else’s. When we meet someone who’s more aggressive, we tend to act meek and obedient.

Law #17: Seize the Historical Moment: The Law of Generational Myopia Every generation has its spirit, its peculiarities. The generation you are born into shapes the way you are, and presents unique opportunities for you. Greene recommends you don’t go completely against the grain or you will end up isolated and in troubles. Instead, it’s best instead to redirect the flow of your generation. Generations are huge groups consisting of everyone who was born within the same 22-year period. Even though everyone who lives at a particular time experiences the same conditions, we all see the world through a generational perspective, which is a collective mindset we develop based on our age. Our values are shaped by the generation we live in and how our generation reacts to the previous one.

Law #18: Meditate on Our Common Mortality: The Law of Death Denial We all try to avoid thoughts of death. Death is there, whether you like it or not. Greene invites the readers to use and leverage reality rather than trying to fight it or forget it. Meditate on your death so that you will make the most about your time, instilling a sense of urgency in your purpose and goals. Similarly, when we don’t repress death, we actually feel more alive.

DIANA MARIE Diana Marie is a team member at the Leadership Institute of Sarawak Civil Service attached with Corporate Affairs who found love in reading and writing whilst discovering inspiration in Leadership that Makes a Difference.

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2021 Highlights Event

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Happy New Year

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“

Leadership creates the culture, and culture creates the leadership

“

- Ismail Said CEO Leadership Institute of Sarawak Civil Service

- Building Leaders to Make a Difference to our Society and State -

LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE OF SARAWAK CIVIL SERVICE KM20, JALAN KUCHING SERIAN,SEMENGGOK, 93250 KUCHING, SARAWAK. 082-625166

082-625766 leadershipinstitute_scs

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Leader's Digest #58 (December 2021)

Articles inside

A LOVE OF LEARNING IS THE KEY TO YOUR GROWTH

BOOK SUMMARY THE LAWS OF HUMAN NATURE